Doctors' Wives
Cast & Crew
Frank Borzage
Warner Baxter
Joan Bennett
Victor Varconi
Cecilia Loftus
Paul Porcasi
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
While seeking medical help for her dying father, Dr. Mark Wyndram, Nina finds Dr. Judson Penning in a taxi and rushes him to her home. Judson, however, is unable to save Nina's father. When Nina tells Judson that she wants to be a doctor, he offers her a job as a laboratory assistant at his clinic. After Judson overhears Nina complaining about the lack of interest he is taking in her, he invites her to dinner and she accepts. Though Nina's mother, Julia, warns her about the dangers of becoming involved with physicians and tells her that she will be neglected because doctors are always on call, Nina disregards her advice and marries Judson. Soon after the wedding, Julia's predictions prove true and the doctor is called away at an inopportune moment. One evening, Nina and Judson visit Judson's friend, Dr. Kane Ruyter. When Kane shows Nina his collection of musical instruments and shares his philosophy of life with her, she is genuinely impressed. Kane tells Nina that he believes that a man must choose between women and work and never attempt to attend to both. Nina continues to take interest in Kane, who she realizes is a true romantic in search of sincere love. Frustrated by her husband's inattentiveness, Nina tries to discuss the problem with him, but before they can resolve anything the doctor is called away to another emergency. Suspicious about his ill-timed and frequent emergency calls, Nina follows her husband on a call and finds his patient, a woman, making a violent play for him. Having had her suspicions confirmed, Nina leaves a note on Judson's car informing him that she has left him. Though he has no evidence to prove that his wife has been unfaithful, Judson assumes that she has left him for Kane. Later, when Kane becomes ill and is rushed to the hospital in need of emergency surgery, Judson, the only man capable of operating on him, is assigned to the surgery. A delicate and complicated operation ensues with Nina officiating as Judson's nurse. In a private moment with Nina, Kane tells her that her husband truly loves her and that he is indeed worthy of her love. The operation is a success and Nina returns to Judson, proud to be a doctor's wife. When the doctor gets another emergency call, he declines to respond to it until Nina takes the phone and tells the patient that her husband will be there immediately.
Director
Frank Borzage
Cast
Warner Baxter
Joan Bennett
Victor Varconi
Cecilia Loftus
Paul Porcasi
Minna Gombell
Helene Millard
John St. Polis
George Chandler
Violet Dunn
Ruth Warren
Louise Mackintosh
William Maddox
Marion Lessing
Crew
Frank Borzage
Lew Borzage
John W. Considine Jr.
William Darling
Jack Dennis
Arthur Edeson
George Leverett
Harry W. Martin M. D.
Joseph Urban
Sophie Wachner
Maurine Watkins
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Some contemporary sources refer to this film as Doctor's Wives. According to the file for the film in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, the Hays Office informed Fox, in February 1931, that it objected to the fact the "Nina's implied adultery with Doctor Ruyter...results in no serious consequences." The Hays Office suggested that Fox remedy the situation, which constituted a violation of the Production Code, by adding "some line at the end by which Nina could tell her husband that although she was out of her head on the night in question and might have done anything, nevertheless, Doctor Ruyter had saved her from herself." In November 1936, when Fox applied for re-issue certification of the picture, the PCA initially responded by urging the studio to withdraw its application for the permit because the picture contained "the situation of a wife deliberately giving herself to another man out of pique against her husband, and of the husband condoning this adultery." However, in December 1936, the PCA approved certification for the film once it was assured that eliminations agreed to by Fox would be made. An April 1936 Hollywood Reporter news item states that Twentieth Century-Fox planned to produce a remake of the film entitled The Doctor's Wife. Raymond Griffith was set to supervise the production and Kathryn Scola was set to write the story, but the film was never made.
